Archery bows and sight devices



April 14, 1970 J. w. HELTON 3,505,985

ARCHERY BOWS AND SIGHT DEVICES Filed June 19, 1967 .5 shets sheet 1 INVENTOR JAMes W HEL TOA/ J. w. 'HELTON 3,505,985

ARCHERY BOWS AND SIGHT DEVICES April 14, 1970 I 3 sheefis sheet 2 Filed June 19, 1967 IN V E N TO R JAMEs M HEL TON BY ATTORNEY April 14, 1970 J. w. HELTON 3,505,935

ARCHERY BOWS AND SIGHT DEVICES 7 Filed June 19, 1967 s SheerIs- Sheet s -INVENTOR JAMES mHeLro/v United States Patent 3,505,985 ARCHERY BOWS AND SIGHT DEVICES James W. Helton, 5994 Waldway Lane, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224 Filed June 19, 1967, Ser. No. 651,083 Int. Cl. F41b /00 U.S. Cl. 124-24 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An archery bow of sectional construction comprising a handle section, with a pair of flexible limbs detachably secured to the handle section at opposite ends, and a bow string secured to the outer ends of the flexible limbs to complete the how. The handle section includes adjustment screws which permit the flexible limbs to be adjusted, thereby to vary the tension of the bow string. In addition, the handle section includes an adjustable trajectory scale including a front sight arranged to be adjusted by the user to set the arrow at the proper upward angle to accommodate for target distance and also including a lateral adjustment to accommodate for windage conditions.

My invention relates to archery bows adapted to be demountably disassembled into limb and handle sections for retaining the disassembled bow in a small carrying case.

It is an object of my invention to provide a bow handle having hooked ends adapted to be connected to limb butt ends that will remain securely connected to the limbs when the limbs of the bow are stressed by means of a bow string.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sectional archers bow having a trajectory scale with an adjustable sight.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a sectional archers bow with an adjustable trajectory scale and an adjustable front sight adapted for correction of trajectory and windage.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent in the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several vlews.

FIGURE 1 illustrates the handle and limbs assembled without the bow string.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the bow assembled with string and the limbs in stressed condition.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a handle with hook ends.

FIGURE 4 is a right side view of the bow handle shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view of a side opposite the side shown in FIGURE 3 illustrating a T slot for a trajectory scale and an adjustable front sight. I

FIGURE 6 isa fragmentary front View of a U shaped end of a yoke on the butt end of a limb connected to the hook end of the handle.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 illustrates a screw means for tilting the limb in relation to the handle.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged view of a fragment of the handle with the trajectory scale and the adjustable sight secured in it.

FIGURE 10 is a section taken on line 1010 of FIG- URE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a side view of the adjustable sight detached from the bow handle.

FIGURE 12 is a side view showing the adjustable sight mounted on the fragment of the handle.

3,505,985 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 "Ice FIGURE 13 is a sectional view taken on line 13 of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14 of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 15 illustrates a front face of the trajectory scale.

FIGURE 16 is a side view of the trajectory scale.

FIGURE 17 is a front view of the limb with a yoke lock means attached to the butt 'end illustrating the location of the axle secured in the yoke.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is illustrated an archers bow comprising a handle section 1 connected to limbs 2. In FIGURE 2 there is a string 3 spanned and holding the limbs in stressed condition. The handle ends 4 have a slot 5 to form a hook adapted to be rotated and hook around an axle 6 that is fixed in a U-shaped end opening of a yoke 7. The axle is located in the U-shaped opening to form a lock and readily permit the hook to be placed around the axle. Each how has two limbs and each limb has a yoke fixed on its end 8. The handle is hooked to the limbs and a string is then stretched from the ends of the limbs as illustrated in FIGURE 2. When the string is attached to the ends of the limbs and they are in stressed condition the backs 9 of the hook ends of the handle will be forced against a back wall 10 of the yoke due to the reaction of the axles against the hooks on the handle and the handle will be held in alignment with the limbs by the side walls of the U-shaped opening on the yoke. Rotatably mounted in the hook end of the handle there are adjusting screws 11. When these screws are screwed towards the back walls 10 of the yokes they will cause the yokes, with its limbs, to rotate out of longitudinal alignment with the handle and create greater tension in the string thereby creating greater casting power for the bow and consequently more force when shooting the arrow from the bow.

Secured on the side of the handle there is an arrow rest 12 upon which the arrow is slidably retained during bracing of the bow and shooting the arrow.-

Referring to FIGURES 5 and 9, there is a T slot 13 in the handle adapted to slidably receive and retain a graduated trajectory scale 14. Each scaleis adapted to be graduated by the archer as determined by his own weight per draw length. The space between each of the gradients will be variable and not evenly spaced as illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 15. The scale is slidably adjusted in the slot and fixed in a certain position for a particular bow. The scale is clamped in place in the T slot by-means of a knurled nut 15 rotatable on a screw 16 that is fixed on an end of the trajectory scale. Indicia of distance on the trajectory scale are so arranged that the distance for shooting an arrow can be prearranged by setting a top edge 17 of a sight bracket 18 to the particular line and index of the trajectory scale.

The sight bracket comprises a platen 19 having a key 20 integral with it that is slidably retained in the T slot 13 on the handle to hold the sight bracket in vertical alignment on the handle. Another square headed bolt 21 is adapted to slide perpendicular to and within the platen 19 and parallel to the T slot 13 on the handle. The sight bracket is adjustably secured on the handle by means of another knurled clamping knob 22 on the other square headed bolt 21. The key, together with the square headed bolt, secures the sight bracket in proper adjusted relation on the bow handle and in fixed position in relation to the trajector scale. To vary the distance for shooting an arrow, the sight bracket is moved up or down in relation to the trajectory scale. When-top edge 17 of the sight bracket is positioned, in example at on the trajectory scale and sight is aligned between an arrow and with a bead 23 on an adjustable front sight, the bow will be tipped backwards at a greater angle to the horizontal plane and cause a greater arc of trajectory for the path of an arrow and hence the arrow will be cast a greater distance. The sight bracket has an arm extending upwardly from the platen 19 and has a T slot 24 on its underside for the adjustable front sight. The front sight consists of the bead 23 having a threaded shank 25 that is adapted to be rotated and fixed in a slidable body portion 26. A knurled locknut 27 secures the bead and front sight in a fixed position on the body portion 26 after adjustment. The body portion'of the front sight has a key 28 that is slidably retained in another T slot 24 on the underside of the bracket arm. Rotatably mounted in the body portion 26 there is another square headed bolt 29 that is slidably retained in the slot of the sight bracket arm. Rotatably mounted on the square headed nut is another knurled locknut 30 which holds the front sight bracket arm. The front sight is adjustable to wind by moving it perpendicularly back and forth in relation to the sight bracket arm. When the bead is positioned away from the bracket arm the bow will be rotated to the right on its vertical axis in order to align and aim the arrow on a target to overcome the effect of wind from the right. When the head is positioned closer to the bracket arm the bow will be rotated to the left on its vertical axis in order to align and aim the arrow on a target to overcome the effect of wind from the left. The front sight is also adjustable along the sight bracket arm to coordinate it with the trajectory scale. On an underside 31 of the sight bracket arm is another scale 32 for properly locating the front sight in proper relation to a setting on the trajectory scale.

To assemble the how, the handle is hooked around the axle in the yoke on the limbs. The string is flexed between the ends of the limbs and the limbs are then in stressed condition. The tension of the string tends to rotate the limbs around the axles but the hooks and the handle are held in fixed stationary position by the axles and back side of the hooks on the handle are forced against the back walls of the yoke which are held securely in contact by the tension of the string on the limbs. The yoke, having a U-shaped opening, provides side walls between which the hook ends of the handle are retained thereby providing positive alignment longitudinally of the limbs with the handle. The trajectory scale is slidably mounted in a fixed position in the T slot of the handle and the sight bracket is likewise slidably retained in a fixed position above the trajectory scale in the slot of the handle. When the trajectory scale is fixed in position on the handle, the sight arm is adjusted and positioned to the scale in order to obtain the proper arc of trajection to overcome the distance to a target.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. A sectional archery bow including a sighting device for providing vertical trajectory correction in casting an arrow comprising:

a handle section having an arrow rest projecting laterally therefrom;

' said handle section having a slotted opening formed in the opposite end portions thereof,

: a pair of flexible limbs interfitting the slotted openings of the said handle section;

U-shaped openings in the flexible limbs each including an axle extending transversely across the U-shaped opening;

the end portions of said handle sections each having a hook at the end portion thereof interfitting the U- shaped openings at opposite ends of the limbs and engaging the said axle;

an adjustment screw threaded through the end portion of each of said handle sections and engageable with the back wall of the U-shaped opening of said limbs and arranged to vary the angle of the flexible limbs with reference to the handle section;

a bow string secured to the outer ends of said flexible limbs and forcing the slots of the handle sections into engagement with the said axles; v

said handle section having a slot extending longitudinally thereof;

a graduated trajectory scale interfitted within the slot of the handle section and arranged to be adjusted longitudinally with reference to the handle section;

a locking element passing through the said trajectory scale and into the said slot for clamping the scale longitudinally in an adjusted position with reference to the handle section;

a sight bracket projecting upwardly and outwardly at an angle with reference to the said trajectory scale;

said sight bracket including a slot extending longitudinally thereof;

a sight mounting element slidably confined Within the slot of the sight bracket and shiftable longitudinally with reference to the sight bracket;

and a sighting bead projecting from the sight mounting element;

said bead coacting with respect to the arrow rest of the handle section, whereby an arrow positioned within the arrow rest of the handle section may be aligned with the head of the sight bracket to provide the arc of trajectory in accordance with the distance to a target.

2. An archery bow and sighting device for shooting an arrow as set forth in claim 1 wherein the sight mounting element includes a windage adjustment device comprising:

a shank threaded through the sight mounting element for adjustment of the said sighting bead laterally with reference to the handle section of the bow, said threaded shank including a lock element for locking the said shank and sighting bead in an adjusted position with reference to the handle section, whereby an arrow resting within the arrow rest and sighted with reference to the sighting bead will be aimed laterally to accommodate the effect of wind which deflects the course of an arrow in a given horizontal plane.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,163,937 1/1965 Reynolds 3346.4 3,265,055 8/ 1966 Gage. 3,406,675 10/ 1968 Fredrickson 124-24 2,021,541 11/ 1935 Cambridge 335 6.5

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner W. R. BROWNE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 33 45; 124-30 

